Ipecac Recordings

Artists Zu

Biography

For over fifteen years, Zu's modus operandi of straddling and abusing musical genres has resulted in over fifteen unique album releases across labels such as Ipecac, Atavistic and Headz (Japan). Their experimental amalgam of metal, math, no-wave, noise and electronics, led acclaimed composer John Zorn to describe their sound as "a powerful and expressive music that totally blows away what most bands do these days".

In the running for the title of "the world's hardest working band," Zu have performed over 1000 shows throughout Europe, US, Canada, Asia, Russia, Mexico and even Africa, touring with the like of Mike Patton (as the Zu/Patton quartet), also sharing the stage with Faith No More, Fantômas, The Melvins, Lightning Bolt, Sonic Youth, The Ex, and countless others. They have also collaborated with a vast number of musicians including Mike Patton, The Melvins, Dälek, Jim O' Rourke, FM Einheit (Einsturzende Neubauten), Peter Brötzmann, Nobukazu Takemura, Eugene Robinson (Oxbow), Steve MacKay (The Stooges), The Ex, Thurston Moore, Stephen O Malley, Damo Suzuki (Can), Mats Gustafsson, NoMeansNo, Joe Lally (Fugazi).

Five years since their last full length on Ipecac, the critically acclaimed Carboniferous, and following a three year hiatus, Zu returned in May 2014 with the release of a brand new EP, Goodnight Civilization (Trost Records) and with a line up change that introduced the mighty Gabe Serbian, best known as the drummer for the legendary Californian band, The Locust.

In March 2015, Zu are preparing to release a brand new full length via Ipecac Recordings, entitled Cortar Todo, and recorded in the countryside near Bologna, Italy, in the summer of 2014. The album features some very special guests including keyboard player Joey Karam (The Locust), Italian guitar maverick Stefano Pilia (who plays regularly with the likes of Mike Watt, David Grubbs and Rokia Traore) and perhaps most unexpectedly, a field recording of an indigenous Shipibo medicine man recorded by Massimo during his travels around the Amazon.

Cortar Todo reveals new dynamics from the band, the album is more direct, sharp, focussed, and more intense and musical than anything we have heard from Zu so far. In addition to the album release, we can expect a long period of touring starting in Spring 2015.

Tracklisting:

The Unseen War

Rudra Dances Over Burning Rome

Cortar Todo

A Sky Burial

Orbital Equilibria

Serpens Cauda

No Pasa Nada

Conflict Acceleration

Vantablack Vomitorium

Pantokrator

Releases

Welcome to Ipecac Recordings

An honest, artist friendly label, run on a shoe string with no outrageous promotional or production costs. This is home to Mike Patton's eclectic musical collaborations as well as a place where bands we admire have the freedom to release music they might not be able to, or want to, release on other labels. Learn More